18.2 Part 2: Related Topics

Sections 11 through 17 address associated topics that are of interest to practicing hydrogeologists. Section 11 covers the basics of groundwater chemistry and focuses on the chemical relationship between subsurface fluids and the minerals that make up the formations through which the fluids flow. Section 12 introduces the fate and transport of contaminants in groundwater. Sections 13 and 14 deal with parts of the hydrologic cycle that are “adjacent” to the groundwater systems discussed in the main part of the book. More specifically, Section 13 deals with water flowing on the Earth’s surface and includes a basic introduction to open-channel flow and drainage networks. Section 14 introduces concepts associated with the unsaturated part of the subsurface between the ground surface and the top of the saturated zone. Section 15 addresses stress and strain in the subsurface and discusses the difference between fluid pressure and lithostatic pressure associated with the overlying column of rock or sediment at given depth in the subsurface. Section 16 discusses groundwater flow in fractures and discrete channels to illustrate that many groundwater systems do not fit the simple models of fluid flow discussed in previous sections. Finally, Section 17 discusses specific geologic environments that are favorable to the development of aquifers and groundwater flow systems.

Readers are encouraged to review the other free books provided by the Groundwater Project↗ for more specific information on various aspects of groundwater science. Appropriate links to specific books are provided throughout this book. Also, the author of this book is developing a companion practicum book with additional problem sets and a semester-long laboratory curriculum to support students with additional practical problems and exercises.